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Cardilog
7-Day DASH Diet Meal Plan
A week of meals built from the DASH food groups. Cook them without added salt, and check each day against the daily servings on page 2.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Snack | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1Monday | Rolled oats with sliced banana, walnuts and a drizzle of honey, plus 250 ml (1 cup) skim milk | Grilled chicken salad with spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas and olive oil vinaigrette, plus 1 whole wheat roll | 1 apple with 2 tablespoons almond butter | Baked salmon with roasted sweet potato, steamed broccoli and a side of brown rice |
| Day 2Tuesday | Whole wheat toast with mashed avocado and a poached egg, plus 1 orange | Lentil and vegetable soup with a mixed green salad and 1 slice whole grain bread | 200 g (7 oz) plain Greek yoghurt with blueberries | Grilled turkey breast with quinoa, roasted carrots and steamed green beans |
| Day 3Wednesday | Smoothie with spinach, banana, frozen berries, flaxseeds and low-fat yoghurt | Whole wheat wrap with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato and hummus, plus 1 pear | A handful of unsalted almonds and a small glass of beetroot (beet) juice | Baked cod with roasted potatoes, asparagus and a side salad with olive oil dressing |
| Day 4Thursday | Steel-cut oatmeal with pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and fresh berries, plus green tea | Black bean and corn salad with avocado, rocket (arugula), red onion and lime dressing | Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons peanut butter | Grilled chicken stir-fry with capsicum (bell pepper), broccoli, snap peas and brown rice, seasoned with low-sodium soy sauce |
| Day 5Friday | Whole grain cereal with skim milk, sliced strawberries and a tablespoon of ground flaxseed | Mediterranean tuna salad (canned tuna in water, white beans, cherry tomatoes, olives and olive oil) with a whole wheat pita | 200 g (7 oz) plain yoghurt with pomegranate seeds | Grilled mackerel with baked sweet potato and sauteed spinach with garlic, plus a glass of water with lemon |
| Day 6Saturday | Wholemeal (whole wheat) pancakes with fresh blueberries and a small drizzle of maple syrup, plus 250 ml (1 cup) skim milk | Chickpea and vegetable curry with brown rice and a cucumber and tomato salad | 1 banana and a small handful of walnuts | Lean beef stir-fry (keep the beef to 90 g, about 3 oz) with capsicum, mushrooms, snow peas and brown rice noodles |
| Day 7Sunday | 2 scrambled eggs with sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes on whole grain toast, plus 1 orange | Low-sodium minestrone soup with a large mixed salad and crusty whole grain bread | Carrot and capsicum sticks with hummus, plus green tea | Baked salmon with lemon and herbs, roasted beetroot, quinoa and steamed broccoli |
- Swap meals between days as you like, since they all come from the same DASH food groups.
- The portions are a starting point. Add fruit, vegetables or low-fat dairy as snacks where a day falls short of the daily servings.
- Season with herbs, spices, garlic or lemon instead of salt.
- US and Australian names: capsicum is bell pepper, rocket is arugula, beetroot is beets and wholemeal is whole wheat.
Daily servings for a 2,000-calorie day
| Food group | Servings | One serving is |
|---|---|---|
| Grains (mostly whole grains) | 6 to 8 a day | 1 slice bread, 1 oz (about 30 g) dry cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or oats |
| Vegetables | 4 to 5 a day | 1 cup raw leafy greens, or 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables |
| Fruit | 4 to 5 a day | 1 medium fruit, 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, or 1/4 cup dried fruit |
| Low-fat or fat-free dairy | 2 to 3 a day | 1 cup (250 ml) milk or yoghurt, or 1.5 oz (about 45 g) cheese |
| Lean meat, poultry and fish | 6 or fewer a day | 1 oz (about 30 g) cooked meat, poultry or fish, or 1 egg |
| Nuts, seeds and legumes | 4 to 5 a week | 1/3 cup nuts, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or seeds, or 1/2 cup cooked beans or lentils |
| Fats and oils | 2 to 3 a day | 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or soft margarine, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, or 2 tablespoons salad dressing |
| Sweets and added sugars | 5 or fewer a week | 1 tablespoon sugar, jam or jelly, 1/2 cup sorbet, or 1 cup lemonade |
Sodium: no more than 2,300 mg a day. The NHLBI notes that 1,500 mg lowers blood pressure even further. If you need more or fewer calories, the NHLBI scales the servings up or down.
Shopping list for the week
Produce
- Spinach, rocket (arugula), lettuce and mixed salad greens
- Broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumber, asparagus, green beans, snap peas and snow peas
- Tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, capsicum (bell peppers), mushrooms and corn
- Sweet potatoes, potatoes and beetroot (beets)
- Red onion, garlic, lemons, limes and fresh herbs
- Bananas, apples, oranges, pears, avocados and a pomegranate
- Strawberries, blueberries and frozen mixed berries
Protein
- Skinless chicken breast
- Turkey breast and lean beef
- Salmon, cod and mackerel fillets
- Eggs
- Canned tuna in water (low sodium)
Grains and Legumes
- Rolled oats and steel-cut oats
- Whole grain breakfast cereal
- Brown rice, quinoa and brown rice noodles
- Whole wheat bread, rolls, wraps and pita
- Wholemeal (whole wheat) flour for the pancakes
- Lentils, chickpeas, black beans and white beans, dried or canned (low sodium or rinse well)
- Hummus
Dairy
- Skim or low-fat milk
- Plain Greek yoghurt and plain low-fat yoghurt (no added sugar)
Nuts, Seeds and Oils
- Unsalted almonds and walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds and ground flaxseed
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Natural peanut and almond butter (no added salt)
Pantry
- Low-sodium soy sauce and low-sodium minestrone soup
- Olives, cinnamon and curry spices
- Honey and maple syrup, for small drizzles
- Green tea and beetroot (beet) juice
Check it with your own readings
The DASH trials report averages, so measuring your own blood pressure is how you see what the plan does for you. Take your readings each morning and evening for a week before you start, then keep taking them while you follow the plan, and repeat the week if you carry on. Compare the weekly averages and take them to your doctor so you can talk them through together.
You can write them down on our printable blood pressure log at cardilog.app/blood-pressure-log-pdf. If you take blood pressure medication, keep taking it as prescribed and talk to your doctor before changing anything.
This plan is general guidance on healthy eating. DASH is rich in potassium, so if you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before you start. Servings come from the NHLBI's DASH Eating Plan (nhlbi.nih.gov). For the full guide and what the trials found, visit cardilog.app/blog/dash-diet-blood-pressure.